Phantom Forest
by Ect0Gh0st
Summary: AU. This is the story of Sam, a girl willing to do anything to get out of her parents' shadow, and Danny, a spirit curious to know the world past the boundaries of his forest. The unlikely pair find each other in the forest, forming close bonds and going on an adventure of a lifetime (or half a lifetime). Lots of friendship fluff and hopefully action later. S/D. Chapter 3 up! R&R!
1. Into the Forest

**Hey there everyone! I know I haven't been very good at updating or completing any stories, so I've got this story planned out BEFORE I publish everything and hopefully that will help me complete and update this story. Reviews also help... *hint hint wink wink***

**Here's chapter 1 of this story, if I get enough people liking this idea, I'll continue it, if not, I'll abandon this story and start a new one (which is why this chapter is rather short). ****So, If you like it, please tell me whether it be though reviews or though favs or follows.**

**Also, the cover was sketched up quickly by me, I have no Beta, and rights to Danny Phantom belong to Nickelodeon.**

**Without further ado, I present to you the first chapter of my first Danny Phantom fanfiction, _Phantom Forest_.**

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Chapter 1

Into the Forest

December, the first time Sam dared to venture into the forest. Untouched ice crunching beneath her feet, she was wandering lost, until she reached the heart of the forest. A tall, broad tree bent over the clearing. Whereas most other trees creaked under the weight of the snow, the single tree naturally extended its strong arms, seemingly unaffected by the winter storm other than the green-on-white ethereal glow that surrounded it.

It was easy to spot him, the blue and black of his outfit contrasting on pure white snow. His breath came out in uneven wisps of blue tinged smoke, as though he was speaking; as she approached, it only confirmed her guess and it was easy to make out the soft, high-pitched mumbling.

The boy had his hands in his thick jacket pockets, eyes glued to the tree he spoke. He paused every once in a while, as though listening. When he didn't get a response (as expected), he continued anyways. He even had a few short laughs as though someone had made a joke.

'Crazy much?' Sam summarized.

She continued watching the strange boy from the edge of the clearing, mesmerized by the insane beauty of the one-sided conversation. Sam stood for a little under five minutes listening—it was long enough for the boy to notice.

As the boy lapsed into another bout of silence, he was overcome with a deer-in-the-headlights expression before turning toward the general area Sam stood, eyes scanning back and forth before landing on her anxious face. She mentally noted the strange green flash and unexpected intensity of his eyes before panicking and fleeing out of the forest.

The ice catapulted off bushes, limbs springing up once relieved of their cold weights. It created a rustling ruckus, loud enough for Sam to hear the boy following her trail.

"Wait up!" He panted, obviously not having expected a chase sequence.

Frightened, Sam high-tailed it as fast as she could, bounding for the door home.

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	2. Stumped

**Okay, I'm honestly really sorry I went on such a long hiatus, but this weekend has been the end of another quarter in school and I've had a break to continue working. ****I'll try to update now that I have new ideas and stuff.**

**Also, I've had a change in pen name. Previously, I went by UsagiGirl, but I think Ect0Gh0st is much cooler and it doesn't make me sound so Weeboo.**

**Anyways, sorry for the lateness and all that stuff. Here's chapter two. (Since it's tragically short, I'll get chapter three up much faster.)**

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Chapter 2

Stumped

Somehow, Sam had gotten lost again. After wandering around for God knows how long, she was absolutely sure she had passed that-little-tree-stump-with-the-weird-moss at least twice before. The strange boy from the clearing had long since lost her trail (she hoped) thus, weighing her safety against her aching feet, she brushed off the snow and sat on the stump to contemplate her next move.

Trying to go in a straight line obviously didn't help her case as she was evidently straight-line challenged. Trying to call for help wouldn't work either. The forest was dangerous - no one wanted to enter as most people never came back out. Sam had tried her cell phone earlier, but had been unable to receive even a picture.

Grinding her forehead into the palm of her hand, Sam growled in frustration. She couldn't think of anymore ideas. Even in the snow-covered grounds, her footsteps had seemingly vanished. While Sam found this odd, the Goth had brushed it off as more crazy mysterious forest voodoo. Either way, she had no way of knowing which way she came from or back tracing.

Shivering, she almost missed the rustle of the bushes in front of her. The familiar plop of falling snow came moments after, confirming her suspicions. Now on alert, Sam raised her head out of her puddle of frustration and glanced around. Nothing.

A moment passed.

Sam narrowed her eyes and mimicked putting her head back in her hands.

_Rustle rustle._

With a rather impressive war cry, Sam lunged toward the bushed area resolving to pound whatever thought it could sneak up on her. Her cry was met with a high-pitched shriek of surprise. In an instant, both figures were send sprawling to the ground before Sam managed to grab the creature in an arm lock.

A moment passed before...

Recognition?

"Crap."

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_Review Responses:_

_**ShadowDragon357** - Thanks! I'm glad it interests you and I hope you liked this chapter!_

_**ChopSuzi** - Thank you for the compliments! I try my bests to put in details but sometimes I know I can get too wordy, so warn me when that happens! \( ~ )/ Also, I humbly apologize for the lateness and I do have various excuses, but I'll try to get chapters up faster. Thanks for making my day with your words and compliments!_

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_Also, thanks to:_

**_DPsketch, SerpentSnake, Solaris Eclipsis, Sword of The Azure Rain, crazygalxx, _**_and__ **sinclairchap** for the follows._

**_HiHelloIWeird, Solaris Eclipsis, _**_and **DB-KT** for the favs!_

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**If anyone gets what video game I'm stealing from with one particular line, he or she gets a nice little message and maybe a little extra stuff.**

**Thanks for hanging with me and my terrible procrastination, readers.**

**Now, pressing the review button will get you the biggest virtual cookie I can find.**


	3. Shoes

**What's this?! A new chapter?! 10 Reviews?! Keep them pouring in guys! Here's a special longer chapter for an apology and a thank you to those keeping up with me.**

**Sorry about heavy dialogue format. Also, keep in mind that I have no beta, so finding errors or redundancies will help me a lot!**

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Chapter 3

Shoes

"Seriously, are you stalking me or something?"

"If I recall, you were the one staring at me!"

Sam was taken aback. This otherworldly boy had the audacity to scream back at her. What happened to the quiet boy in the clearing? Then again, she was well aware that first impressions weren't always correct. She should know. After all, being a Goth meant that a lot of peop-

"Could you please get off now?"

Sam started. She remembered that she was still on the kid.

The boy had craned his head awkwardly in the arm lock allowing her a full view of the crystal blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. One blond brow was tweaked in an arch.

"And stop staring."

Sam blushed and stood up, letting go of the weirdo and giving him room to stand. He did so, brushing the stark white snow off of his black hoodie and ratty jeans. She felt a little guilty to know it must have been cold when she pushed him down into the snow. Once he was done patting himself clean, he straightened up, giving Sam her first full view of the boy.

The most noticeable thing about his features, were his eyes. Blue as they were, it was like looking through a glass. They were almost as clear as the blue you would expect on a blind person, but with more life. She wouldn't compare them to a blue summer sky as much as the blue of winter, frigid and ice.

Knowing his black hood would not let her see anything above his eyes at the moment, her gaze drifted downward, tracing his high cheekbones, curved, elvish nose, and powder pink lips. His features curved around his heart face, but his baby fat still lingering, causing Sam to estimate his age to be around her own. His ghostly pale skin had a light smack of pink tinge, and his expression arranged into something more sheepish than annoyed.

Ignoring his variety of expressions for now, her eyes traveled further, eying his dark hoodie zipped up around his neck. It was rather plain, the only decoration being the uneven strings on the hood and the glinting, sliver zipper. It had two large pockets near the waist, where the bulge of his hands was visible through the thin fabric. The jacket seemed large for him and ill-fitted, though well used. It stretched near mid-thigh where the leggings of dark jeans were seen. Those too looked just as used as the jacket, if not more, and the cuffs were sloppy and frayed. There were some interesting tatters and holes, some almost shaped like a scorch marks and others like... knife swipes? Sam disregarded the very idea as soon as it crossed her mind. It was impossible, but still, that kind of clean-cut… Wrapping up her review, she raised a brow at the bare feet trudged in the snow. What kind of idiot forgets his shoes in the midst of winter? Heck, what kind of idiot forgets his shoes at all?

'Right.' Sam reminded herself, 'The same creepy kind of idiot who talks to a tree.'

She had never been more thankful for her nice, thick army boots.

After that appraisal, Sam looked up to find the kid studying her face. With an interest, she realized that the boy was studying her just as she had done to him. His pink lips were pierced in concentration, giving him a pouty, lost puppy look.

Just as she was about to comment, he pulled back with a sheepish look.

An awkward silence passed.

His hand emerged from his pocket to rub the back of his neck. A nervous tick.

More silence.

Sam snapped. She couldn't take the awkwardness.

"So-" both cut off at the same time.

The boy's hand moved from his neck to gesture.

"Go ahead."

Sam directed to his feet.

"So, what's with the Flintstone style? Isn't it cold?"

He hummed in thought.

"That's seriously the first question you ask?"

He sounded amused.

"Problem?"

Sam glared at him for good measure.

"Nah, sorry."

Sam crossed her arms.

"Right. If you must know, I guess I used to wear shoes until I got them stuck in a tree. I don't think they're coming down anytime soon."

He shrugged.

"You got them stuck in a tree." She repeated.

"In. A. Tree." Again.

"Yup" He said, popping the "p".

"How does one get shoes stuck in a tree?" She skepticized.

Cue the shrug again.

"With a little thing called gravity and not a lot of luck, I guess."

"Gravity?" She asked incredulously.

He gave her a look.

"Course."

She let it go.

"Silly me."

"Sooo-" He started again.

"Why don't you get new ones?"

Apparently, it was hard to drop a subject that had more questions raised.

"New whats?"

"Shoes."

"Ahhh."

He looked up, as if trying to remember.

"It's freezing." Sam stated, warming up to the line of questioning.

"It is?"

The kid thought for a second.

"Right. Snow equals cold. Knew that."

"Wait. What?" She commented, struck with the oddity of the statement.

"Are you cold?" He asked with honest curiosity.

To say Sam was seriously thrown by that curveball in the conversation was an understatement.

"Uhhh." She commented intelligently.

He seemed to be having a short internal debate.

"Mmm, right." He finally decided. Leaning on a tree, he pronounced, "You should go back home."

Sam frowned.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

He started pacing around, ignoring her quip.

"But since you can't leave this forest…"

"Wait, why-"

"You'll just have to trust me."

With that he stopped walking to turn and face the flummoxed girl.

He cocked his head and held out a pale hand.

"Well?"

Sam paused. Did she trust him? A boy who somehow conversed with a tree. The same boy who started stalking her in the woods and wore no shoes?

She looked at the wide, topaz blue eyes.

Her hand inched forward to meet his.

Just as she was about to grasp it, she hesitated. The boy sensed her uncertainty and shrugged, withdrawing his hand.

"If you think you can keep up, then."

He gave a playful smile and turned around to walk down the path Sam had gone before. Unsure and disarrayed, Sam followed the boy down the path. Their footsteps lefts no prints in the blue shadowed snow as the pair traveled along the winding trail, she crossing her heart for a way out, he making the way for a new friend.

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_Review responses:_

**_RCRC36 _**_- Here you go! Thanks for the enthusiasm and taking the time out of your day to review! I hope you liked this chapter just as well!_

**_xLa Reyna Phantasmax _**_- So you have requested, so you shall receive! Here's for a new chapter!_

**_AJ _**_ - Hey! Thanks for taking the trouble to follow me though you don't have an account. It really meant a lot to me when you said that and even took the time to tell me about it! Just a FYI, this story's supposed to go on pretty long if I keep on schedule. Thank you sooo much!_

_Also, thanks to:_

**_chris210racer, kirin-saga, xLa Reyna Phantasmax, _**_and **arrows-tip** for the follows._

**_chris210racer_**_ (again!) for the fav._

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**Keep hanging in, dearest readers. And remember to review and report any mistakes.**

**Also, leave a message of any funny shoe stories that have happened to you.**

**EDIT: Ahh, yes. And, errr, Happy Dannyversary to you all.**


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